Fair officials say the event was a big success this year.
/ Henry Rothenberg
COLUMBIA (WACH / AP) - The smell of funnel cakes, donut burgers and corn dogs have left the Midlands. The South Carolina State Fair wrapped up Sunday night.
Fair officials say the event was a big success this year. They credit the success to two weeks of beautiful South Carolina sunshine saying there were close to ten thousand more visitors this year than last year.
The State of Columbia reports that 452,576 people came through the gates at the fairgrounds over the last 11 days.
While there were no major incidents during the two week event, fair spokesperson Nancy Smith says a soft economy may have an impact on the final numbers.
The record attendance for the State Fair was 492,395 in 2010.
Officials say they were especially pleased with the increased attendance since the fair sold fewer advance tickets this year.
"Lots of folks are still watching how they spend their money...some they kind of came at the last minute," said Smith.
Smith says money from the fair goes toward the fair's scholarship fund, which helps educate South Carolina's young adults.
The 2013 State Fair is scheduled for October 9 through October 20.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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